Chapter 27

The maid lowered her head even further and stammered, “The doctor examined her and said that the mistress’s illness is a heartache—it requires a cure of the heart.”

A flicker of impatience flashed in Lu Feng’s cold eyes. At that moment, a faint and intermittent coughing sound came from the room. It was barely audible, but Lu Feng’s years of martial training didn’t miss it.

He strode into the room.

The room was small, with the carved wooden windows half-open. Light filtered through the lattice, casting soft beams that made the face of the woman leaning against the window appear even paler.

“You… cough, cough, why have you come?” Jiang Wanxue’s pale face showed a hint of surprise, as though unaware of Lu Feng’s arrival.

Lu Feng stared at her steadily, placing the curved blade from his waist onto the table and sitting down with a commanding presence.

“I heard you’re unwell.”

At his words, Jiang Wanxue’s body trembled slightly. Turning her face away in embarrassment, she replied softly, “It’s nothing serious.”

“Whether you believe it or not, I wasn’t the one who called you here.”

Lu Feng responded nonchalantly, “Send someone to get a doctor. Whatever is lacking or needed, have Chang’an take care of it.”

“I lack nothing.” Jiang Wanxue’s tone was detached and cold. “If that’s all you’ve come to say, then please leave.”

Lu Feng made a gesture to rise, “Take good care of yourself.”

“Brother Junchi—”

A moment of silence.

Jiang Wanxue smiled bitterly and walked over to Lu Feng. Her slender wrist held the teapot handle as she poured him a cup of tea. “This aged tea is a bit bitter, I hope you won’t mind.”

Lu Feng did not reach out to touch the cup of tea. He said, “I’ve already told you, if you lack anything, ask Chang’an for help. There’s no need to burden yourself.”

Jiang Wanxue sat down across from him and also poured herself a cup of hot tea. Staring straight at him, she said, “Do you not know what I want most right now?”

Lu Feng nodded. “I’ll have to trouble you for a while longer. Rest assured, when the matter is settled, I promise to fulfill one request of yours to the best of my ability.”

Jiang Wanxue took a sip of hot tea and sighed, “You speak of when the matter is settled. But if… if they do not come for me, what will you do then?”

Lu Feng replied firmly, “There is no ‘if.'”

He had made preparations long ago.

Prince Gong was once the emperor’s most favored son. Years ago, an imperial edict condemned him for four crimes: hoarding iron ore, secretly selling weapons, trafficking official titles, and colluding with rebels. Among these, what truly made the emperor resolute was “colluding with rebels.”

Back then, when the emperor rose in rebellion from Youzhou, the north was controlled by Prince Lu and the south by Prince Chen, both with well-equipped armies eyeing him covetously. Prince Lu, relying on his might and 100,000 troops, was the first to attack Youzhou. While the emperor was locked in a fierce struggle with Prince Lu, Prince Chen seized the opportunity to advance towards the capital via the waterways, intending to reap the benefits once the two forces were exhausted.

The emperor suffered severe losses in the battle against Prince Lu and faced even more treachery from Prince Chen, who resorted to poison, arson, and every underhanded method imaginable. Though the emperor emerged victorious, it was a pyrrhic victory, with even one of his sons, who resembled him the most, lost in the chaos. Finally, Prince Chen, clutching the Imperial Jade Seal, leaped from a city tower. The emperor, still unsatisfied, had his remains pulverized and, with the help of a Taoist monk, suppressed his soul to ensure it could never be reincarnated.

Few people know that as Prince Chen lamented, “It is fate, destiny; the mandate of heaven is not with me!” before the tower, a group of his loyalists secretly protected his bloodline and fled south. By the time the emperor discovered this, they had long vanished.

During those years, the former emperor was reckless and inept, leaving the people in despair. Internal conflicts between the princes brought incessant wars. When the current emperor ascended the throne, he faced a nation riddled with wounds and disarray. To make matters worse, the northern Turks constantly eyed the empire with ambition. The emperor could only secretly search for Prince Chen’s remnants. After years without a trace, he unexpectedly found them through his own son—how could the emperor not be enraged?

Prince Gong’s mistakes were akin to a feather that weighed little but could crush a thousand pounds when placed on the scale.

Selling official titles? He is a prince entrusted with authority. Such practices have existed since ancient times, and in this dynasty, one can even donate money for official positions. As long as it’s not excessive, it’s not considered a significant issue.

Hoarding iron ore? He is a prince with his own fiefdom. Not reporting the iron ore from his own lands—saving a little private wealth for his grown son—might make the emperor grit his teeth, but it is still tolerable.

But what he absolutely shouldn’t have done—what he could never do—was privately forging weapons and, worse, selling them to the remnants of Prince Chen!

The emperor values loyalty deeply. How many of his brothers-in-arms, those who helped him conquer the empire, lost their lives at the hands of Prince Chen?

If they had died honorably on the battlefield, following the rule of “to the victor go the spoils,” he might have accepted it. But they died from Prince Chen’s treacherous methods—and along with the loss of his son—this enmity makes it impossible for the emperor to coexist with Prince Chen!

Regardless of whether Prince Gong knew that his buyers were remnants of Prince Chen, this crime has already sealed his fate forever, leaving no possibility of redemption. Now, Lu Feng must utilize Prince Gong’s last bit of value to lure out Prince Chen’s remnants and eliminate them all.

The emperor said, “Junchi, this matter must be handled by you.”

“No one else can do it. This matter can only be handled by you.”

The emperor is still haunted by Prince Chen’s cunning methods, saying, “As dragons beget dragons and phoenixes beget phoenixes, Prince Chen’s descendants are likely just as treacherous as he was.”

Lu Feng thought: Their side consists of scoundrels, and I am no gentleman either.

The last batch of goods hasn’t arrived yet—shouldn’t one be anxious? Prince Gong is now confined to his residence, in isolation and under protection. Without daring to investigate the manor directly, why not bring him out instead?

The excuse is ready-made. Back then, when Prince Gong took what another loved by force, he invoked the sentiment “Once you’ve seen the vast ocean, no other waters will compare.” When he took charge of this case, it drew countless stares—people believed he still held lingering affection for his former fiancée.

How laughable.

…

Jiang Wanxue furrowed her brows slightly. It wasn’t just others who thought this way—she herself couldn’t fully comprehend it either. She had wronged him in the past. Later, when she saw his steady rise in rank, she genuinely rejoiced for him, and the guilt in her heart diminished somewhat. Until half a year ago, when the prince was imprisoned.

At that time, he led troops to besiege the manor. To meet an old acquaintance in such a manner—locked eyes, full of wistfulness.

She had been so ruthless back then that she thought he must hate her. Yet he merely glanced at her and ordered, “Do not disturb the womenfolk.”

Were there not only womenfolk in that courtyard—only her?

Heavy imperial guards surrounded Prince Gong’s residence, and the palace supplied all provisions, clothing, and necessities. These servants, skilled at flattering the powerful while trampling on the weak, initially assumed the prince had a chance for reinstatement, so life was passable. But as time dragged on, the quality of what was provided dwindled, with even meals being unreasonably cut back.

She knelt before the emperor at the annual banquet, intending to show the high and mighty ruler that while he and his sons were joyfully enjoying family bliss, he had another son who was lonely and struggling, unable to even afford firewood.

That day, she was stopped outside Donghua Gate. Those despicable servants, adept at pandering to power, grew increasingly arrogant, making life even more difficult for her. At her lowest, he came.

He said, “Let’s make a deal.”

It wasn’t a tone of negotiation—it was an order. Jiang Wanxue looked at his stern face and suddenly found him unfamiliar.

In that moment, countless thoughts crossed her mind. Was he there to torment her? Or perhaps to humiliate her? Unexpectedly, all he asked was for her to move out and help lure out the remnants of Prince Chen.

The small courtyard was peaceful. He had ordered that all food, clothing, and supplies should follow the same standard as what had been allocated to the princess consort in the past. The imagined poisoning or assassination never came. She didn’t have to deal with the mundane quarrels of the household nor interact with the concubines she detested. Except for the absence of her children, she found herself living more comfortably than when she was the actual princess consort.

Yet, he rarely visited this place.

What remnants of Prince Chen could there possibly be? The events of thirty years ago had long passed, and Prince Chen’s ashes had already been scattered. Why go to such great lengths?

He found a courtyard to pamper her but ignored her, leaving her to stew in her longing and restless thoughts.

White steam rose from the teacup, shrouding Lu Feng’s darkened eyes. His brow was prominent, and the scar etched deeply across his face gave him a fierce, aggressive appearance.

Jiang Wanxue remarked, “You… have changed so much compared to before.”

The image of the composed and dignified young man from a prestigious family grew increasingly blurred in her memory, showing no trace of what he once was.

Lu Feng raised his eyes to glance at her, “If you have something to say, speak plainly. There’s no need for roundabout words.”

Jiang Wanxue said, “Recently, I’ve been plagued by frequent dreams, headaches, and sleepless nights. In my dreams, I often revisit things from the past.”

“Back then, I was only this tall.” She gestured with her hand. “A human trafficker lured me with promises of candied hawthorn skewers, and I actually believed him. A noblewoman from a marquis household succumbs to greed for two bites of food! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even know where I might have ended up.”

“You saved my life, no matter what. I’ve never forgotten your kindness—” She coughed mid-sentence.

She spoke earnestly, stubbornly staring at Lu Feng’s expression, as though determined to extract a response from him.

Lu Feng remained silent for a moment and replied, “For headaches, send someone to fetch a doctor and get some calming medicine prescribed.”

Jiang Wanxue fell silent as well. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared directly at him, saying, “The doctor said it’s an ailment of the heart—it needs heart medicine to cure it.”

Lu Feng’s patience was completely exhausted. He picked up his waist knife and turned to leave. As he stepped out of the doorway, Jiang Wanxue suddenly said, “Brother Junchi, I do not regret it.”

She added, “When my mother was pregnant with me, she dreamed of a phoenix. A phoenix must perch on a parasol tree—I’m not wrong!”

“If… if I could do it all over again, I would still make the same choice. Even if the prince has fallen into despair, to live as a king, to die as a king’s soul—I will never regret it!”

Lu Feng paused but said nothing more, walking away with steady steps.

His imposing aura was too overwhelming, and the maid didn’t dare approach. She nervously held a tray with freshly heated food and cautiously asked, “Madam, should we still serve this meal?”

“Why not? Bring it here.”

To the maid’s surprise, Jiang Wanxue didn’t show the anger she had imagined. Instead, she seemed calm and composed.

Jiang Wanxue first washed her hands and rinsed her mouth, then personally ladled a bowl of chicken soup for herself, skimming off the floating fat on top.

She smiled and said, “Why are you standing so far away? I won’t eat you. Come, take this bowl of soup—it’s too rich, I can’t finish it.”

The maid stepped forward hesitantly and asked nervously, “Madam… aren’t you angry?”

“Why should I be angry? If anyone deserves anger, it certainly isn’t me.”

Jiang Wanxue gently wiped the corner of her lips and said meaningfully, “Men… they’re just so despicable.”

He appeared during her most desolate moments, sheltering her in this square little courtyard, providing her with luxurious clothing and food, yet never coming to see her.

She thought of him day and night, and in a sudden moment of clarity, she realized what he truly wanted!

He wanted her to regret—regret that cup of wine from back then, regret abandoning him all those years ago!

Yet she deliberately told him that she did not regret it. She would rather die alongside the prince, no matter what he did—he would never truly have her.

Jiang Wanxue suddenly asked, “How is Qing’er? Has she recovered?”

The maid’s face showed a trace of unease. “She is still running a fever. The doctor said her heart was startled and she needs rest.”

“Then let her rest. Perhaps it will teach her a lesson, so she’ll know in the future what things should be said and what shouldn’t.”

Jiang Wanxue was displeased. A foolish maid—if she weren’t short of people to serve her and if the maid weren’t at least somewhat loyal, she wouldn’t tolerate someone like this by her side. It was simply degrading.

Jiang Wanxue asked again, “Do you think I’m beautiful?”

The maid nodded quickly, “Of course the mistress is beautiful!”

Jiang Wanxue fit the aesthetic ideals of the time perfectly. She was tall and slender, with fair skin, brows like distant mountains, and eyes like autumn waters. Her delicate waist was so slim it seemed one could encircle it with ease, embodying a fragile grace that stirred people’s hearts. Years of living in luxury had left her skin fair and smooth, showing no signs of age.

She asked again, “Compared to her, how do I measure up?”

The maid knew exactly who “her” referred to.

After racking her brain for a while, the maid replied softly, “That seductive woman could never compare to your celestial beauty and noble elegance.”

“And what does having mere looks amount to? She can barely recognize a few characters, her mind is as empty as a straw bag. She’s just had a stroke of luck. Otherwise, with her appearance and background, she’d be destined to be nothing more than a lowly concubine!”

“A mere plaything on the bed.”

In truth, the maid didn’t know these details for certain. She was simply saying what she thought her mistress wanted to hear, while nervously glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping.

“Yes, how is it that she’s so fortunate?” Jiang Wanxue murmured.

“I was born into nobility. At five, I was taught by great scholars. At seven, I mastered the Four Books and Five Classics. By ten, I excelled in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. At sixteen, my reputation as a talented woman was unmatched in the capital. Tell me, why have I ended up in this situation?”

The maid kept her head down, not daring to speak.

After a long silence, Jiang Wanxue’s voice drifted down, “In a few days, find a way to send him a message. Tell him I’ve lost an earring and ask Lord Lu to help me find it.”

Lu Feng returned early today, and Jiang Wanrou had dinner with him before the sun had set.

Amidst the crimson glow of the evening sky, Lu Feng said, “Shall we go for a walk?”

The imperial physician had advised that pregnant women should walk regularly to ensure a smooth delivery.

“No—” Jiang Wanrou clutched her belly and complained, “I’ve already walked around the courtyard three times today. I can’t walk anymore.”

This wasn’t true.

In reality, Jiang Wanrou had enjoyed a long, comfortable nap on the recliner that afternoon. She had only just woken up, eaten a few pieces of flaky pastries and a couple of slices of melon, when Lu Feng returned, and they had dinner together.

Recently, her calves had been swelling badly, and she didn’t feel like moving.

Unfortunately, ever since her pregnancy, Jiang Wanrou had done too many things that appeared compliant but were actually defiant, causing Lu Feng’s trust in her to waver. He had called Jin Tao to inquire and naturally knew what his wife had been up to that afternoon.

“Alright, alright, send Jin Tao away quickly. I feel embarrassed.”

Jiang Wanrou’s face flushed awkwardly as she clung to Lu Feng’s sleeve, refusing to let go. “My legs hurt, I can’t walk.”

Lu Feng said, “I’ll walk with you.”

“Your legs aren’t—” Jiang Wanrou suddenly fell silent. Seeing no displeasure on Lu Feng’s face, she relaxed and stayed put in her chair, wearing an expression that said, “What can you do about it?”

Jiang Wanrou suddenly fell silent. Observing that Lu Feng’s face showed no sign of displeasure, she relaxed and leaned on her chair, adopting an attitude of “What can you do about me?”

Lu Feng indeed could not do much. Lately, his wife had become particularly delicate, though it was always about trivial matters that caused no harm. When it came to significant matters, she was never careless. Even the uninvolved elder of the family had sent word several times: “Your wife is a good one, and now that she is expecting, you must not let her be wronged.” It was truly… a helpless situation.

He tried negotiating, “Why don’t you get up and take a walk? Next time we play chess, I’ll… give you a handicap?”

“No, no.” Jiang Wanrou was clear-headed; she had long figured it out. No matter how much of a handicap he gave her, she could never beat Lu Feng—it just wasn’t worth it.

Lu Feng continued, “If you find military strategy boring, tonight I’ll read you another book of your choosing—no, anything but the opera scripts you like, the rest is up to you.”

Jiang Wanrou smiled and said, “Husband, it’s getting late. Why don’t we go rest instead?”

He wasn’t reading books to her at all—it was clearly for the child in her womb. The content was both dull and tedious, often making her drowsy. Yet, he loved pausing midway to ask her questions. If she didn’t understand, he would tirelessly explain it to her over and over again.

It’s really enough to make one unable to sleep peacefully.

Lu Feng fell silent. He didn’t say anything, just looked at Jiang Wanrou with a cold, expressionless face, as if he was thinking about how to persuade his disobedient wife.

His face was stern and intimidating—others would have long been trembling with fear. But Jiang Wanrou wasn’t fazed. After years of marriage, she understood that he wasn’t angry at the moment.

She yawned and placed his hand on her belly, saying, “Husband, look, our child is kicking me again. When I move, he feels so uncomfortable.”

Lu Feng felt her belly for a while and said in a deep voice, “The child doesn’t understand reason, so you… let him endure it for now.”

Jiang Wanrou: “…”

Sometimes, she seriously doubted if Lu Feng was teasing her.

“Husband, he can’t endure it.”

Before Lu Feng could respond, she cut in, “Neither can I.”

Lu Feng’s brows furrowed deeply. After a long time, he said with difficulty, “If you really want to listen to opera scripts, then… it’s not entirely impossible.”